Methods and systems for delivering independently-controllable interactive media content

ABSTRACT

An exemplary system generates a plurality of different content files each including data representative of content of a virtual reality world, and provides the plurality of different content files to a media player device via a network. In particular, the generated and provided plurality of different content files comprises at least one of a plurality of uniform-resolution content files and a plurality of mixed-resolution content files. The plurality of uniform-resolution content files are each associated with a different respective center point within the virtual reality world. The plurality of mixed-resolution content files each correspond to one respective content sector of a plurality of partially overlapping content sectors that together form a view of the virtual reality world associated with a single center point, the one respective content sector being encoded in a high resolution while a remainder of the content sectors are encoded in a low resolution.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/087,891, filed Mar. 31, 2016, and entitled“Methods and Systems for Point-to-Multipoint Delivery ofIndependently-Controllable Interactive Media Content,” which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Advances in computing and networking technology have made new forms ofmedia content possible. For example, interactive media content isavailable that viewers (or “users”) may not only watch, but activelyparticipate in as well. One type of interactive media content isinteractive television, where media content programs may includeembedded code that implements games and/or other interactive featuresthat users may select or otherwise use to participate in the interactivetelevision programs. For instance, code embedded within an interactivetelevision program may allow a user to have an influence on a narrativeof the interactive television program (e.g., by choosing what decisionsa protagonist of the interactive television program makes to influencehow the narrative proceeds).

Another type of interactive media content is virtual reality mediacontent, which may immerse users into interactive virtual reality worldsthat the users may interact with (or “experience”) by directing theirattention to any of a variety of things being presented in the immersivevirtual reality world at the same time. For example, at any time duringthe presentation of the virtual reality media content, a userexperiencing the virtual reality media content may look around theimmersive virtual reality world in any direction with respect to both ahorizontal dimension (e.g., forward, backward, left, right, etc.) aswell as a vertical dimension (e.g., up, down, etc.), giving the user asense that he or she is actually present in and experiencing theimmersive virtual reality world.

Interactive media content may be configured to be independentlycontrollable in the sense that each user may view and/or experience theinteractive media content differently (e.g., viewing differentnarratives in interactive television media content based on decisionseach user makes, experiencing different areas of an immersive virtualreality world at different times based on where each user looks, etc.).As a result, specific data representative of specific parts ofindependently-controllable interactive media content (e.g., partstailored to specific interactions of each user with the interactivemedia content) are traditionally transmitted to each user by way ofpoint-to-point (i.e., unicast) media delivery protocols. However, when alarge number of users desires to view or experience the sameindependently-controllable interactive media content, point-to-pointmedia delivery protocols may be inefficient and/or may place anundesirable burden on systems and/or networks providing and/or carryingthe data representative of the interactive media content.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments and are a partof the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examplesand do not limit the scope of the disclosure. Throughout the drawings,identical or similar reference numbers designate identical or similarelements.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary interactive media content providersystem configured to perform point-to-multipoint delivery ofindependently-controllable interactive media content according toprinciples described herein.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary configuration in which the system ofFIG. 1 operates with exemplary implementations of a content creatorsystem and a plurality of media player devices to performpoint-to-multipoint delivery of independently-controllable interactivemedia content according to principles described herein.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary branching narrative of an interactivetelevision program according to principles described herein.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary configuration in which the system ofFIG. 1 operates with exemplary implementations of a 360-degree camera, acontent creator system, and a plurality of media player devices toperform point-to-multipoint delivery of independently-controllablevirtual reality media content according to principles described herein.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary virtual reality experience in which auser is presented with an exemplary field of view that includes contentof an exemplary immersive virtual reality world according to principlesdescribed herein.

FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary media player devices configured tofacilitate viewing and/or experiencing interactive media content byusers according to principles described herein.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary immersive virtual reality world beingexperienced by a user according to principles described herein.

FIG. 8 illustrates exemplary overall data for the immersive virtualreality world of FIG. 7 according to principles described herein.

FIG. 9 illustrates content of the exemplary immersive virtual realityworld of FIG. 7 as the content may be represented within the overalldata of FIG. 8 according to principles described herein.

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate exemplary views of an exemplary immersivevirtual reality world comprised of partially overlapping content sectorsand being experienced by a user according to principles describedherein.

FIG. 11 illustrates exemplary overall data for the immersive virtualreality world of FIGS. 10A and 10B including content files correspondingto each of the content sectors shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B according toprinciples described herein.

FIG. 12 illustrates exemplary channels included within an exemplarypoint-to-multipoint media delivery protocol according to principlesdescribed herein.

FIG. 13 illustrates content of the exemplary immersive virtual realityworld of FIGS. 10A and 10B as the content may be represented within aparticular content file within the overall data of FIG. 11 according toprinciples described herein.

FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of a plurality of partiallyoverlapping content sectors that together form an exemplary immersivevirtual reality world according to principles described herein.

FIG. 15 illustrates a plurality of exemplary 360-degree cameras arrangedto capture real-world scenery from which an immersive virtual realityworld may be generated according to principles described herein.

FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate exemplary methods for point-to-multipointdelivery of independently-controllable interactive media contentaccording to principles described herein.

FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary computing device according toprinciples described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Methods and systems for performing point-to-multipoint delivery ofindependently-controllable interactive media content are describedherein. Specifically, as will be described and illustrated below,interactive media content that may be independently controlled (i.e.,interacted with, experienced, etc.) by different users associated withdifferent media player devices may be delivered from an interactivemedia content provider system (e.g., a server operated and/or maintainedby an interactive media content provider) to the media player devicesassociated with the different users. The interactive media content mayinclude interactive television media content, virtual reality mediacontent, and/or any other interactive media content that may serve aparticular implementation.

For example, for point-to-multipoint delivery of virtual reality mediacontent, an interactive media content provider system may generateoverall data representative of an immersive virtual reality world. Theimmersive virtual reality world may be fully immersive in the sense thatthe immersive virtual reality world may not be integrated with any imageof the real world in which a user is located while the user isexperiencing the immersive virtual reality world (i.e., in contrast tocertain “augmented reality” technologies). However, while real-worldscenery directly surrounding the user may not be presented together withthe immersive virtual reality world, the immersive virtual reality worldmay, in certain examples, be generated based on data (e.g., image and/oraudio data) representative of camera-captured real-world scenery ratherthan animated or computer-generated scenery of imaginary worlds such asthose commonly generated for video games, animated entertainmentprograms, and so forth. For example, as will be described in more detailbelow, camera-captured real-world scenery may include real-world places(e.g., city streets, buildings, landscapes, etc.), real-world events(e.g., sporting events, large celebrations such as New Year's Eve orMardi Gras, etc.), fictionalized live action entertainment (e.g.,virtual reality television shows, virtual reality movies, etc.), and soforth. Additionally, as will further be described below, the overalldata representative of the immersive virtual reality world may includeone or more content files that may include data representative ofcontent of the immersive virtual reality world (e.g., real-worldscenery, virtual scenery, real or virtual objects, etc.) encoded at oneor more resolutions (i.e., levels of detail and/or quality).

After generating the overall data representative of the immersivevirtual reality world, the interactive media content provider system mayconcurrently provide the overall data to a plurality of media playerdevices each associated with a different user. Rather than providing thedata in a unicast stream to each of the different users, the interactivemedia content provider system may provide the overall data by way of apoint-to-multipoint media delivery protocol such as a MultimediaBroadcast Multicast Service (“MBMS”) protocol performed using a LongTerm Evolution (“LTE”) wireless platform. In some examples, the term“eMBMS” may be used to refer to the MBMS protocol performed using theLTE wireless platform. Examples of overall data that is generated andprovided to media player devices (e.g., over eMBMS or anotherpoint-to-multipoint media delivery protocol) will be described in moredetail below.

Each of the media player devices to which the overall data is providedmay be associated with a user, and may be configured to render a portionof the overall data within a field of view presented on a display screenof the media player device. For example, each media player device mayrender, within the respective field of view of that media player device,a portion of the overall data that dynamically changes to continuallycorrespond to an area of the immersive virtual reality world to whichthe user directs the field of view (also referred to herein as an“observed area” of the immersive virtual reality world).

The user may experience the immersive virtual reality world by way ofthe field of view. For example, content of the immersive virtual realityworld (e.g., images depicting scenery and objects surrounding the userwithin the immersive virtual reality world) may be included (i.e.,displayed or presented) within the field of view, and the field of viewmay dynamically change in response to user input provided by the user asthe user experiences the immersive virtual reality world. For instance,the media player device may detect user input (e.g., moving or turningthe display screen upon which the field of view is presented) thatrepresents a request to shift additional content into the field of viewin place of the previous content included within the field of view. Inresponse, the field of view may display the additional content in placeof the previous content. In this way, the field of view may essentiallyprovide the user a “window” through which the user can easily andnaturally look around the immersive virtual reality world.

In certain examples, a first field of view presented on a first mediaplayer device associated with a first user and a second field of viewpresented on a second media player device associated with a second usermay be independently controlled by the first and second users,respectively. More specifically, the first field of view may beindependently directed by the first user and the second field of viewmay be independently directed by the second user such that the firstportion of the overall data rendered within the first field of view maybe different from the second portion of the overall data rendered withinthe second field of view at a particular point in time.

Several benefits may arise from the methods and systems forpoint-to-multipoint delivery of independently-controllable interactivemedia content described herein. For example, a large number of users maybe interested in viewing, experiencing, and/or capturing (e.g., on atime-shifted media content recording device such as a Digital VideoRecorder (“DVR”)) particular interactive media content associated with atime-sensitive event (e.g., a live sporting event or news event, ascheduled airing of a television show or other program, etc.) at thesame time or at similar times. By distributing the interactive mediacontent using a point-to-multipoint media delivery protocol (e.g., amulticast protocol, a broadcast protocol, etc.), an interactive mediacontent provider system providing (i.e., transmitting) the interactivemedia content may significantly reduce a processing burden as comparedto distributing the interactive media content to the large number ofusers using a point-to-point media delivery protocol (e.g., a unicastprotocol). More specifically, rather than generating and transmitting alarge plurality of point-to-point data streams to distribute theinteractive media content to a large number of media player devices, theinteractive media content provider system may generate and transmit justone point-to-multipoint data stream to distribute the interactive mediacontent to the large number of media player devices. Additionally, aload on one or more network components (e.g., servers, routers,switches, etc.) carrying the overall data representative of theinteractive media content may be significantly reduced when thepoint-to-multipoint media delivery protocol is used to transmit a singlepoint-to-multipoint (e.g., broadcast or multicast) data stream ratherthan the point-to-point media delivery protocol being used to transmit alarge number of point-to-point (e.g., unicast) data streams.

Moreover, these and other significant benefits may be associated withthe interactive media content provider system and/or to the networkcarrying the interactive media content while not causing any significantdisadvantages for the media player devices and/or users associated withthe media player devices. Indeed, a media player device and/or a userusing the media player device may be unaware of and/or indifferent towhat type of media delivery protocol is used to deliver interactivemedia content to the media player device.

Various embodiments will now be described in more detail with referenceto the figures. The disclosed methods and systems may provide one ormore of the benefits mentioned above and/or various additional and/oralternative benefits that will be made apparent herein.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary interactive media content providersystem (“system 100”) configured to perform point-to-multipoint deliveryof independently-controllable interactive media content. As shown,system 100 may include, without limitation, a communication facility102, a content generation facility 104, and a storage facility 106selectively and communicatively coupled to one another. It will berecognized that although facilities 102-106 are shown to be separatefacilities in FIG. 1, any of facilities 102-106 may be combined intofewer facilities, such as into a single facility, or divided into morefacilities as may serve a particular implementation.

System 100 may be implemented by or may include one or more devicesand/or systems described herein as may serve a particularimplementation. For example, while system 100 may be illustrated and/ordescribed as being separate from various systems and devices in certainconfigurations illustrated and described below, it will be understoodthat one or more of those systems or devices, as well as one or moreother systems or devices not shown, may be combined with and/or mayserve to implement at least certain components and/or operations ofsystem 100. As will be described in more detail below, system 100 maymaintain, manage, and/or provide (e.g., transmit) overall datarepresentative of interactive media content (e.g., an immersive virtualreality world of virtual reality media content) to media player devices.

Storage facility 106 may maintain interactive media content data 108received, generated, managed, maintained, used, and/or transmitted bycommunication facility 102 and/or content generation 104. As will bedescribed in more detail below, interactive media content data 108 mayinclude any data that may facilitate system 100 in performing thepoint-to-multipoint delivery of independently-controllable interactivemedia content in a particular embodiment.

Communication facility 102 may perform any suitable communicationoperations for proper functionality of system 100. For example,communication facility 104 may receive data (e.g., raw datarepresentative of a 360-degree image) from which overall datarepresentative of interactive media content may be generated.Communication facility 104 may also perform any operations to prepareand/or provide (e.g., transmit) the overall data to one or more mediaplayer devices by way of a point-to-multipoint media delivery protocol.

Content generation facility 104 may perform any suitable operations forgenerating and/or preparing the overall data representative of theinteractive media content (e.g., overall data representative of animmersive virtual reality world of virtual reality media content) basedon data (e.g., raw data) received by communication facility 102. Contentgeneration facility 104 may then supply the overall data tocommunication facility 102 to be concurrently provided to a plurality ofmedia player devices by way of a point-to-multipoint media deliveryprotocol, as will be described in more detail below. Content generationfacility 104 may also perform other operations described herein as mayserve a particular implementation.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary configuration 200 in which system 100operates with exemplary implementations of a content creator system anda plurality of media player devices to perform point-to-multipointdelivery of independently-controllable interactive media content.Specifically, as shown in configuration 200, system 100 may receive datarepresentative of interactive media content from a content creatorsystem 202, and may concurrently provide overall data representative ofthe interactive media content over a network 204 to media player devices206 (e.g., media player devices 206-1 and 206-2), which may beassociated with users 208 (e.g., with users 208-1 and 208-2,respectively). In some examples, as shown, the overall datarepresentative of the interactive media content may be concurrentlyprovided to media player devices 206 by way of a point-to-multipointmedia delivery protocol 210 (“point-to-multipoint protocol 210”). Eachof the elements of configuration 200 will now be described in detail.

Content creator system 202 may include one or more servers or othercomputing devices associated with (e.g., provided and/or managed by) acontent creator such as a television network (e.g., NBC), a cablenetwork (e.g., ESPN), a virtual reality media content network, and/orany other source of interactive media content as may serve a particularimplementation. Content creator system 202 may provide to system 100(e.g., directly or by way of network 204) any data that system 100 mayuse to generate interactive media content in a particularimplementation. For example, content creator system 202 may provide rawdata that system 100 may use to generate interactive media content. Inother examples, content creator system 202 may provide data to system100 that is ready to be provided to media player devices 206 for viewingand/or experiencing by users 208.

In configuration 200, system 100 may be implemented by a backend serveror other computing device associated with (e.g., provided and/or managedby) an interactive media content service provider (e.g., a networkservice provider, a cable service provider, a satellite serviceprovider, an Internet service provider, a provider of virtual realitymobile applications, etc.). System 100 may be configured to provideinteractive media content to users (e.g., subscribers of an interactivemedia content service, users who download or otherwise acquireinteractive media content mobile applications, etc.) by way of mediaplayer devices 206. To this end, system 100 may receive, generate,process, and/or maintain overall data representative of interactivemedia content. As will be described in more detail below, system 100 maymanage and/or distribute the overall data to media player devices 206 inany way that may serve a particular embodiment.

Media player devices 206 may be used by users 208 to access, view,and/or experience interactive media content received from system 100.While two media player devices 206 are shown in FIG. 2 (i.e., mediaplayer device, 206-1 and 206-2), it will be understood thatconfiguration 200 may include any number of media player devices 206associated with any number of users 208. For example, if a large numberof users wish to view and/or experience interactive media content at thesame time (e.g., to view an interactive media content program associatedwith a live event), system 100 may concurrently provide overall datarepresentative of the interactive media content to a large number ofmedia player devices 206 each associated with one or more of the users.

Media player devices 206 may each include or be implemented by anydevice that can detect user input (e.g., user input representative ofuser interaction from a respective user 208) and/or render at least aportion of the overall data on a display screen associated with thedevice based on the detected user input. For example, as will bedescribed in more detail below, media player devices 206 may include orbe implemented by a head-mounted virtual reality device (e.g., a virtualreality gaming device), a personal computer device (e.g., a desktopcomputer, laptop computer, etc.), a mobile or wireless device (e.g., asmartphone, a tablet device, a mobile reader, etc.), a television device(e.g., a television, a set-top box, etc.), or any other device orconfiguration of devices that may serve a particular implementation tofacilitate detecting user input and/or presenting interactive mediacontent. As will be described in more detail below, different types ofmedia player devices 206 (e.g., head-mounted virtual reality devices,personal computer devices, mobile devices, television devices, etc.) mayprovide different types of interactive experiences for users 208.

Media player devices 206 may be configured to allow users 208 to selectrespective interactive media content programs that users 208 may wish toview and/or experience on their respective media player devices 206. Incertain examples, media player devices 206 may download interactivemedia content programs that users 208 may experience offline (e.g.,without an active connection to system 100). In other examples, mediaplayer devices 206 may request and receive data streams representativeof interactive media content programs that users 208 experience whilemedia player devices 206 remain in active communication with system 100by way of network 204.

To facilitate users 208 in viewing and/or experiencing interactive mediacontent, each of media player devices 206 may include or be associatedwith at least one display screen upon which a portion of the interactivemedia content (e.g., a portion selected based on interaction of arespective user 208 with the interactive media content) may be rendered.Media player devices 206 may also include software configured toreceive, maintain, and/or process overall data representative of theinteractive media content to select, process, and/or render a portion ofthe interactive media content to be presented on the display screens ofthe media player devices. For example, media player devices 206 mayinclude dedicated, standalone software applications (e.g., mobileapplications) configured to process and present overall datarepresentative of interactive media content on the displays. In otherexamples, the software used to present the overall data representativeof the interactive media content may include non-dedicated software suchas standard web browser applications.

System 100, content creator system 202, and media player devices 206 maycommunicate with one another using any suitable communicationtechnologies, devices, media, and/or protocols supportive of datacommunications, including, but not limited to, MBMS, eMBMS, LTE wirelessplatforms, socket connections, Ethernet, data bus technologies, datatransmission media, communication devices, Transmission Control Protocol(“TCP”), Internet Protocol (“IP”), File Transfer Protocol (“FTP”),Telnet, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”), HTTPS, Session InitiationProtocol (“SIP”), Simple Object Access Protocol (“SOAP”), ExtensibleMark-up Language (“XML”) and variations thereof, Real-Time TransportProtocol (“RTP”), User Datagram Protocol (“UDP”), Global System forMobile Communications (“GSM”) technologies, Code Division MultipleAccess (“CDMA”) technologies, Evolution Data Optimized Protocol(“EVDO”), Voice over IP (“VoIP”), Voice over LTE (“VoLTE”), WiMax, TimeDivision Multiple Access (“TDMA”) technologies, Short Message Service(“SMS”), Multimedia Message Service (“MMS”), radio frequency (“RF”)signaling technologies, wireless communication technologies (e.g.,Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.), in-band and out-of-band signaling technologies,and other suitable communications technologies.

Network 204 may include any provider-specific network (e.g., a cable orsatellite carrier network or a mobile telephone network), the Internet,wide area network, or any other suitable network. Data may flow betweensystem 100, content creator system 202, and media player devices 206 byway of network 204 using any communication technologies, devices, media,and protocols as may serve a particular implementation. In particular,as shown, point-to-multipoint protocol 210 (e.g., an eMBMS protocol orother multicast or broadcast protocol) may be used to transmit theoverall data representative of the interactive media content, while oneor more other protocols, platforms, and/or technologies may be used(i.e., concurrently with the eMBMS communication or prior to the eMBMScommunication to set up or initialize the eMBMS communication) totransfer other data, commands, and/or media content as may serve aparticular implementation. While only one network 204 is shown tointerconnect system 100, content creator system 102, and media playerdevices 206 in FIG. 2, it will be recognized that these devices andsystems may intercommunicate by way of multiple interconnected networksas may serve a particular implementation.

By concurrently providing (i.e., delivering simultaneously ornear-simultaneously) the same overall data representative of theinteractive media content to media player devices 206-1 and 206-2 by wayof point-to-multipoint protocol 210, system 100 may allow users 208-1and 208-2 to independently control the interactive media content on eachof their respective devices. Specifically, media player device 206-1 mayrender a first portion of the overall data based on user interaction ofuser 208-1 with the interactive media content, while media player device206-2 may render a second, different portion of the overall data basedon user interaction of user 208-2 with the interactive media content. Asa result, the content rendered on the display screens of each of mediaplayer devices 206 may be different at any particular point in time,even though both media player devices 206 receive the same overall datarepresentative of the interactive media content from system 100.

To illustrate, FIG. 3 shows an exemplary branching narrative 300 of aninteractive television program. As mentioned above, overall datarepresentative of an interactive television program may include embeddedcode that implements a game or includes other interactive features toallow a user to influence how the interactive television programproceeds. For example, an interactive television program may includeembedded code configured to present an interactive television programaccording to a branching narrative that is navigated based on decisionsmade by the user. Specifically, as shown, branching narrative 300 mayinclude a plurality of different scenes 302 (e.g., scenes 302-1 through302-20) connected based on decisions 304 that are made by users watchingeach scene about how the user would like to proceed.

Thus, as one example, system 100 may concurrently provide overall datarepresentative of scene 302-1 to both media player device 206-1 andmedia player device 206-2 by way of point-to-multipoint protocol 210.Users 208 may each view scene 302-1 and be prompted to make a decision(e.g., a decision to be made vicariously for a protagonist in theinteractive television program). User 208-1 may provide user inputindicative of one decision, while user 208-2 may provide user inputindicative of a different decision. As a result, while system 100concurrently provides overall data representative of scenes 302-2 and302-3, media player device 206-1 may render a portion of the overalldata representative of scene 302-2 and media player device 206-2 mayrender a different portion of the overall data representative of scene302-3. In this way, users 208 may view different parts of branchingnarrative 300 even though system 100 concurrently provides the sameoverall data representative of the interactive television program toboth media player devices 206. Specifically, user 208-1 may view scene302-2 (e.g., based on the specific decision 304 that user 208-1 madeafter scene 302-1) at the same time that user 208-2 views scene 302-3(e.g., based on the specific decision 304 that user 208-2 made afterscene 302-1).

While system 100 concurrently provides overall data representative ofscenes 302-2 and 302-3 to both media player devices 206, users 208 maybe presented with respective second decisions, based on the respectivescenes that each user has viewed. Again, users 208 may each provide userinput indicative of a decision 304, which may determine which scene 302will be presented next. Subsequently, system 100 may concurrentlyprovide overall data representative of scenes 302-4, 302-5, 302-6,302-7, and 302-8 to both media player devices 306. Based on thedecisions 304 made by each respective user 208, media player devices 206may each render portions of the overall data that correspond to theappropriate scene 302 selected by users 208. For example, media playerdevice 206-1 may render a portion of the overall data corresponding toscene 302-5 while media player device 206-2 may render a portion of theoverall data corresponding to scene 302-8. Or, alternatively, both mediaplayer devices 206 may render a portion of the overall datacorresponding to scene 302-6 if the decisions 304 of each of users 208happen to have led users 208 to a common scene in branching narrative300.

The interactive television program may proceed in this manner throughoutthe rest of branching narrative 300 until system 100 concurrentlyprovides overall data representative of scenes 302-18, 302-19, and302-20 to both media player devices 206. Scenes 302-18, 302-19, and302-20 may represent alternative endings to branching narrative 300.Users 208 may each experience one of the alternative endings (e.g., thesame or different endings) based on the decisions 304 that the users 208have each made throughout the interactive television program, and theinteractive television program may end after users 208 each experienceone of the alternative endings.

As mentioned above, another example of interactive media content isvirtual reality media content. Rather than choosing which scenes will bepresented next, as with interactive television programs with branchingnarratives, virtual reality media content provides each user 208 withchoices about which direction he or she will look within an immersivevirtual reality world. Because overall data representative of anentirety of the immersive virtual reality world may be concurrentlyprovided to both media player devices 206-1 and 206-2, each media playerdevice 206 may present, within respective fields of view, differentportions of the immersive virtual reality world based on which directioneach user 208 indicates that he or she would like to look within theimmersive virtual reality world.

To illustrate, FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary configuration 400 inwhich system 100 operates with exemplary implementations of a 360-degreecamera 402, content creator system 202, and media player devices 206 toperform point-to-multipoint delivery of independently-controllablevirtual reality media content according to principles described herein.Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, 360-degree camera 402 (“camera 402”)may capture and/or generate a 360-degree image of real-world scenery 404around a center point corresponding to camera 402. For example, camera402 may capture a plurality of images from each of a plurality ofsegment capture cameras 406 built into or otherwise associated withcamera 402, and may generate the 360-degree image of real-world scenery404 by combining the plurality of images captured by segment-capturecameras 406.

Camera 402 may be incorporated within or otherwise associated withcontent creator system 202 (described above in relation to FIG. 2). Assuch, camera 402 may operate (e.g., by way of or as a part of contentcreator system 202) to capture and process data (e.g., raw data)representative of 360-degree images of real-world scenery 404, and totransmit the data to system 100 by way of network 204 (also describedabove in relation to FIG. 2). After preparing and/or processing the datarepresentative of the 360-degree images to generate an immersive virtualreality world based on the 360-degree images, system 100 may provideoverall data representative of the immersive virtual reality world tomedia player devices 206 (also described above in relation to FIG. 2).Users 208-1 and 208-2 may use media player devices 206-1 and 206-2,respectively, to experience the immersive virtual reality world.

Camera 402 may be set up and/or operated by a virtual reality contentcreator and associated with content creator system 202 in any way thatmay serve a particular implementation. Camera 402 may include any typeof camera that is configured to capture data representative of a360-degree image of real-world scenery 404 around a center pointcorresponding to camera 402. As used herein, a 360-degree image is anystill or video image that depicts the surroundings (e.g., real-worldscenery 404) of a center point (e.g., a center point associated with thelocation of camera 402) on all sides along at least one dimension. Forexample, one type of 360-degree image may include a panoramic image thatdepicts a complete 360-degree by 45-degree ring around a center pointcorresponding to a camera (e.g., camera 402). Another type of 360-degreeimage may include a spherical image that depicts not only the ringaround the center point, but an entire 360-degree by 180-degree spheresurrounding the center point on all sides. In certain examples, a360-degree image may be based on a non-circular geometric structure. Forexample, certain 360-degree images may be based on cubes, rectangularprisms, pyramids, and/or other geometric structures that may serve aparticular implementation, rather than being based on spheres.

Camera 402 may be configured to capture the data representative of the360-degree image of real-world scenery 404 in any way that may serve aparticular implementation. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, camera 402may capture various segments of real-world scenery 404 using segmentcapture cameras 406, which may each capture an image of a single segmentof real-world scenery 404 that may be combined (e.g., stitched together)with other segments to generate the 360-degree image of real-worldscenery 404. In certain examples, segment capture cameras 406 may eachrepresent a single camera unit (e.g., including a lens and suitableimage capture hardware) built into a single 360-degree camera configuredto capture 360-degree images. In other examples, camera 402 may includean array of segment capture cameras 406 that are each a single,standalone camera configured to capture standard images (e.g., imagesdepicting less than a 360-degree view) that may later be combined toform the 360-degree image. In yet other examples, camera 402 may includeone or more “fish-eye” lenses configured to capture a very wide-angleimage (e.g., a spherical image or a semi-spherical image) that can beused as the 360-degree image or processed to generate the 360-degreeimage. Alternatively, camera 402 may include a single, standard camerathat captures and/or combines a plurality of still images of real-worldscenery 404 taken at different points in time (e.g., using a “panoramamode” of the camera or a similar feature) to capture still 360-degreeimages. In certain examples, camera 102 may include one or morestereoscopic cameras. Camera 402 may also use any combination of the360-degree image capture techniques described above or any other capturetechniques that may serve a particular implementation.

Subsequent to capturing raw image data representative of real-worldscenery 404, camera 402 may generate from the raw image data a360-degree image of real-world scenery 404. For example, camera 402 maybe configured to automatically process the raw image data (e.g., bycombining a plurality of images captured by segment capture cameras 406,by processing images captured by a fish-eye lens, etc.) to form the360-degree image, and then may transmit data representative of the360-degree image to backend system 408. Alternatively, camera 402 may beconfigured to transmit (e.g., by way of or as a part of content creatorsystem 202) the raw image data directly to system 100, and anyprocessing and/or combining of the raw image data may be performedwithin system 100.

Camera 402 may capture any real-world scenery 404 that may serve aparticular embodiment. For example, real-world scenery 404 may includeany indoor or outdoor real-world location such as the streets of a city,a museum, a scenic landscape, a satellite orbiting and looking down uponthe Earth, the surface of another planet, or the like. Real-worldscenery 404 may further include certain events such as a stock car race,a football game or other sporting event, a large-scale party such as NewYear's Eve on Times Square in New York City, or other events that mayinterest potential users. In certain examples, real-world scenery 404may be a setting for a fictionalized event, such as a set of alive-action virtual reality television show or movie.

In some implementations, capturing real-world scenery 404 using camera402 may be optional. For example, a 360-degree image of scenerysurrounding a center point may be completely computer-generated (e.g.,animated) based on models of an imaginary world rather than capturedfrom real-world scenery 404 by camera 402. As such, camera 402 may beomitted in certain examples.

In the description of FIG. 1, above, system 100 was described inrelation to interactive media content generally. Additionally, inexamples specific to virtual reality media content, system 100 may beimplemented by or comprise a backend server or other computing deviceassociated with (e.g., provided and/or managed by) a virtual realitymedia content service provider (e.g., a network service provider, acable service provider, a satellite service provider, an Internetservice provider, a provider of virtual reality mobile applications,etc.). System 100 may be configured to provide virtual reality mediacontent to users (e.g., subscribers of a virtual reality media contentservice, users who download or otherwise acquire virtual reality mobileapplications, etc.) by way of media player devices 206. To this end,system 100 may receive, generate, process, and/or maintain datarepresentative of virtual reality media content. For example, system 100may be configured to receive camera-captured data (e.g., video datacaptured by camera 402) representative of a 360-degree image ofreal-world scenery 404 around a center point corresponding to camera402. If the camera-captured data is raw image data (e.g., image datacaptured by each of segment capture cameras 406 that has not beencombined into a 360-image), system 100 may unwrap, combine (i.e., stitchtogether), or otherwise process the raw image data to form the360-degree image representative of real-world scenery 404.

Based on the camera-captured data representative of real-world scenery404 (e.g., the 360-degree image), system 100 may generate and maintainan immersive virtual reality world (i.e., data representative of animmersive virtual reality world that may be experienced by a user). Forexample, system 100 may generate a three-dimensional (“3D”) model of theimmersive virtual reality world where virtual objects may be presentedalong with projections of real-world scenery 100 to a user experiencingthe immersive virtual reality world. To generate the immersive virtualreality world, system 100 may perform video transcoding, slicing,orchestration, modeling, and/or any other processing that may serve aparticular embodiment.

As will be described in more detail below, system 100 may generate andmaintain the immersive virtual reality world by generating and/ormanaging one or more content files including overall data representativeof the immersive virtual reality world. For example, in certainimplementations, system 100 may generate and maintain a singleuniform-resolution content file comprising data representative of anentirety of the immersive virtual reality world encoded in a uniformresolution (e.g., encoded in a relatively high resolution). In otherimplementations, system 100 may generate and maintain a plurality ofuniform-resolution content files that are each associated with arespective center point within the immersive virtual reality world andcomprise data representative of a view of the immersive virtual realityworld corresponding to the respective center point in a uniformresolution (e.g., the relatively high resolution). Examples of uniformresolution content files will be described in more detail below.

In yet other implementations, system 100 may generate and maintain aplurality of mixed-resolution content files. For example, eachmixed-resolution content file may correspond to one respective contentsector of a plurality of partially overlapping content sectors thattogether form a view (e.g., from the perspective of a single centerpoint) of the immersive virtual reality world. More specifically, eachmixed-resolution content file may comprise data representative of theplurality of content sectors (i.e., the entire view of the immersivevirtual reality world), but may include the one respective contentsector (i.e., the content sector to which the content file corresponds)encoded in the relatively high resolution and a remainder of the contentsectors encoded in a relatively low resolution (i.e., lower than therelatively high resolution). Examples of mixed-resolution content filesand immersive virtual reality worlds formed from pluralities ofpartially overlapping content sectors will be described in more detailbelow.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary virtual reality experience 500 in whicha user 502 is presented with an exemplary field of view 504 thatincludes content 506 of an exemplary immersive virtual reality world508. User 502 may experience immersive virtual reality world 508 (“world508”) by providing user input to dynamically change field of view 504 todisplay whatever content within world 508 that user 502 wishes to view.For example, the user input provided by user 502 may include anindication that user 502 wishes to look at content not currentlypresented within field of view 504 (i.e., content of world 508 otherthan content 506). As will be described in more detail below, the formthat this user input takes may depend on a form factor (e.g.,head-mounted virtual reality device, personal computer device, mobiledevice, etc.) of the media player device used by user 502.

As one example, if user 502 is experiencing world 508 by way of a mediaplayer device incorporating particular sensors (e.g., motion,directional, and/or orientation sensors), the user input may include achange to a spatial orientation of the display screen of the mediaplayer device. In other words, field of view 504 may be directed to aparticular area of world 508 based on an alignment of a spatialorientation of the display screen of the media player device with theparticular area of world 508. As such, the media player device may beconfigured to detect the spatial orientation of the display screen asuser 502 experiences world 508 (e.g., by using the motion, directional,and/or orientation sensors), and may gradually replace content 506 withother content of world 508 that aligns with the spatial orientation ofthe display screen.

To illustrate, FIG. 5 shows that content 506 may include real-worldscenery depicting a beach with palm trees. User 502 may provide userinput to a media player device by which user 502 is experiencing world508 (e.g., one of media player devices 206) to indicate that user 502wishes to look at content to the left of content 506 currently includedwithin field of view 504. For example, user 502 may press a leftnavigation key on a keyboard, perform a swipe gesture to the right on atouchscreen device, or align the spatial orientation of the displayscreen a bit to the left of a head-mounted device. In response, thereal-world scenery (i.e., the palm trees, the water, etc.) may scroll tothe right across field of view 504 to give user 502 a sensation that heor she is turning to look to the left in world 508. As content 506scrolls off the right side of field of view 504, new content (notexplicitly shown in FIG. 5) smoothly scrolls onto the left side of fieldof view 504. In this way, user 502 may provide user input to cause fieldof view 504 to present any part of world 508 that user 502 desires.

In FIG. 5, world 508 is illustrated as a semi-sphere, indicating thatuser 502 may look in any direction that is substantially forward,backward, left, right, and/or up. However, if user 502 directs field ofview 504 down, world 508 may not include dynamic and/or real-worldscenery content to be presented within field of view 504. For example,if world 508 includes a dynamic immersive virtual reality world (i.e.,using a 360-degree video image), field of view 504 may present a stillimage representative of the ground of world 508. In other examples,field of view 504 may present nothing (i.e., a black screen), a menu,one or more virtual objects, or any other suitable image that may servea particular implementation. In other examples, world 508 may include anentire 360-degree by 180-degree sphere so that every direction in whichuser 502 may direct field of view 504 is associated with dynamic and/orreal-world scenery content of world 508.

As shown in FIG. 5, world 508 may appear to surround a center point 510associated with user 502. In some embodiments, center point 510 maycorrespond to a location of a camera (e.g., camera 402) used to capturethe real-world scenery content of world 508 (e.g., including content506). As such, center point 510 may be static or may move through world508 in a way that user 502 is unable to control (e.g. moving throughworld 508 in a same manner as camera 402 moved through real-worldscenery 404 during the creation of the virtual reality media content).In other embodiments that will be described in more detail below, user502 may be able to provide input to modify where center point 510 islocated within world 508. For example, user 502 may move from one centerpoint to another (e.g., corresponding to where each of a plurality of360-degree cameras captured 360-degree images) within world 508 or causecenter point 510 to move continuously within world 508. While centerpoint 510 is illustrated at the feet of user 502 for simplicity ofillustration, it will be understood that center point 510 may actuallybe located at the eye level of user 502.

Additionally, FIG. 5 shows a virtual object 512 (i.e., a surfboard),which may be inserted into world 508 by system 100 during the generationof world 508. Any virtual object may be inserted along with thereal-world scenery of world 508 as may serve a particularimplementation.

As mentioned above, different types of media player devices may providedifferent experiences for users (e.g., users 208, user 502, or otherusers described herein) by rendering portions of the overall datarepresentative of the interactive media content in different ways, byreceiving user input from users in different ways, and so forth. Toillustrate, FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary media player devices 600configured to facilitate viewing and/or experiencing interactive mediacontent by users according to principles described herein.

As a first example of a media player device 600 that may be used to viewand/or experience interactive media content, a head-mounted virtualreality device 602 may be mounted on the head of the user and arrangedso that each of the user's eyes sees a distinct display screen 604(e.g., display screens 604-1 and 604-2) within head-mounted virtualreality device 602. In some examples, a single display screen 604 may bepresented and shared by both eyes of the user. In other examples, asshown, distinct display screens 604 within head-mounted virtual realitydevice 602 may be configured to display slightly different versions ofthe interactive media content (e.g., field of view 504 such asstereoscopic versions of field of view 204 that may be captured by oneor more stereoscopic cameras) to give the user the sense that he or sheis viewing a three-dimensional space (e.g., associated with branchingnarrative 300, world 508, etc.). Display screens 604 may also beconfigured to display the interactive media content (e.g., content 506)such that the interactive media content fills the peripheral vision ofthe user, providing even more of a sense of realism to the user.Moreover, head-mounted virtual reality device 602 may include motionsensors (e.g., accelerometers), directional sensors (e.g.,magnetometers), orientation sensors (e.g., gyroscopes), and/or othersuitable sensors to detect natural movements (e.g., head movements) ofthe user as the user views or experiences the interactive media content.

For example, if the user is experiencing virtual reality media content,the user may provide input indicative of a desire to move field of view504 in a certain direction and by a certain amount in world 508 bysimply turning his or her head in that direction and by that amount. Assuch, head-mounted virtual reality device 602 may provide the user witha natural and hands-free experience that does not require any physicalconsole control to experience the immersive virtual reality world andthat may be the most immersive virtual reality experience provided byany type of media player device.

As another example of a media player device 600, a personal computerdevice 606 having a display screen 608 (e.g., a monitor) may be used bythe user to experience the interactive media content (e.g., branchingnarrative 300, world 508, etc.). Because display screen 608 may notprovide the distinct stereoscopic view for each of the user's eyesand/or may not fill the user's peripheral vision, personal computerdevice 606 may not provide the same degree of immersiveness thathead-mounted virtual reality device 602 provides (e.g., particularly forvirtual reality media content). However, personal computer device 606may be associated with other advantages such as its ubiquity amongcasual virtual reality users that may not be inclined to purchase or usea head-mounted virtual reality device. In some examples, personalcomputer device 606 may allow a user to view and/or experienceinteractive media content within a standard web browser so that the usermay conveniently view and/or experience the interactive media contentwithout using special devices or downloading special software. The usermay provide user input to personal computer device 606 by way of akeyboard 610 (e.g., using indicated keys to select scenes 302 by way ofdecisions 304, using navigation keys to move field of view 504, etc.)and/or by way of a mouse 612 (e.g., by clicking on selected decisions304, by moving mouse 612 to move field of view 504, etc.). In certainexamples, a combination of keyboard 610 and mouse 612 may be used toprovide user input (e.g., moving field of view 504 by way of navigationkeys on keyboard 610 and clicking or otherwise interacting with objectswithin world 508 by way of mouse 612).

As another example of a media player device 600, a mobile device 614having a display screen 616 may be used by the user to view and/orexperience the interactive media content (e.g., branching narrative 300,world 508, etc.). Mobile device 614 may incorporate certain advantagesof both head-mounted virtual reality devices and personal computerdevices to provide the most versatile type of media player device forviewing and/or experiencing interactive media content, and virtualreality media content (e.g., world 508) in particular. Specifically,like personal computer devices, mobile devices are extremely ubiquitous,potentially providing access to many more people than dedicatedhead-mounted virtual reality devices. However, because many mobiledevices are equipped with motion sensors, directional sensors,orientation sensors, etc., mobile devices may also be configured toprovide the user with an immersive experience comparable to thatprovided by head-mounted virtual reality devices.

For example, when presenting virtual reality media content, mobiledevice 614 may be configured to divide display screen 616 into twoversions (e.g., stereoscopic versions) of field of view 504 and topresent content 506 to fill the peripheral vision of user the whenmobile device 614 is mounted to the head of the user using a relativelyinexpensive and commercially-available mounting apparatus (e.g., acardboard apparatus). In other embodiments, mobile device 614 mayfacilitate experiencing world 508 by receiving movement-based user inputat arm's length (i.e., not mounted to the head of the user but acting asa hand-held dynamic window for looking around world 508), by receivingswipe gestures on a touchscreen, or by other techniques that may serve aparticular embodiment.

As one additional example of a media player device 600, a televisiondevice 618 may be used by the user to view and/or experience theinteractive media content (e.g., branching narrative 300, world 508,etc.). Television device 618 may be particularly well-suited for viewinginteractive television programs (e.g., similar to watching other typesof television programs or movies). For example, the user may watch ascene (e.g., one of scenes 302) presented on a display screen 620 oftelevision device 618. At the end of the scene, the user may be promptedto make a decision (e.g., one of decisions 304). The user may choose howto respond to the prompt and select a decision 304 using a remotecontrol device 622. In other examples, television device 618 may presentvirtual reality content (e.g., field of view 504 of world 508) andremote control device 622 may be used to dynamically change the contentof world 508 that is rendered within field of view 504 on display screen620 of television device 618.

While examples of certain media player devices have been described, theexamples are illustrative and not limiting. A media player device mayinclude any suitable device and/or configuration of devices configuredto facilitate receipt and presentation of interactive media content(e.g., virtual reality media content) according to principles describedherein. For example, a media player device may include a tethered deviceconfiguration (e.g., a tethered headset device) or an untethered deviceconfiguration (e.g., a display screen untethered from a processingdevice). As another example, a head-mounted media player device or othermedia player device may be used in conjunction with a controller devicesuch as a wearable controller (e.g., a ring controller) and/or ahandheld controller.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary immersive virtual reality world 700(“world 700”) being experienced by user 502 (e.g., using one of mediaplayer devices 600). For ease of illustration and explanation, world 700is illustrated as a ring-shaped immersive virtual reality world. Assuch, world 700 may be formed from a 360-degree image that depicts thesurroundings (e.g., real-world scenery such as real-world scenery 404described above in relation to FIG. 4) of a center point associated witha position of user 502 within world 700 on all sides along thehorizontal dimension. However, the 360-degree image of world 700 may notbe a fully spherical image that depicts an entire 360-degree by180-degree sphere surrounding the center point. Instead, the 360-degreeimage of world 700 may depict approximately a 360-degree by 60-degreering around the center point that does not include surroundings of thecenter point directly above or below the center point. While the simplering shape of world 700 may facilitate illustrating and describingvarious aspects of how system 100 may perform the point-to-multipointdelivery of the independently-controllable virtual reality media contentto the media player device, it will be understood that the sameprinciples described in relation to the embodiment of FIG. 7 may applyto embodiments that include fully spherical immersive virtual realityworlds or other suitable immersive virtual reality worlds taking theform of other suitable geometric structures (i.e., cubes, pyramids,semi-spheres, etc.). To illustrate, an example of a semi-sphericalimmersive virtual reality world will be described and illustratedbriefly below in relation to FIG. 14.

It will be understood that the relative sizes for user 502 and world 700may not be to scale. As shown, an entirety 702 of world 700 (e.g., asopposed to a plurality of content sectors that may form an immersivevirtual reality world in other implementations, as will be describedbelow) may virtually surround user 502 such that user 502 may viewand/or experience any portion of the entirety 702 of world 700 within afield of view 704. For example, while field of view 704 is displayed ona display screen of the media player device by which user 502 isexperiencing world 700), the media player device may receive a stream ofa uniform-resolution content file comprising data representative of theentirety 702 of world 700 encoded in a uniform resolution (e.g., arelatively high resolution)

As used herein, a resolution may refer to any measure of a detail levelor quality level represented within an encoding of virtual reality mediacontent. For example, a high-resolution image may be a “high-definition”(“HD”) image such as one that includes a particular number of rows orpixels or that is refreshed at a particular frame rate as may serve aparticular implementation. Thus, as used herein, data encoded in a highresolution may be associated with a higher level of quality and/ordetail than data encoded in a “low resolution,” generating a morerealistic-looking version of content of world 700 and/or a moredesirable experience for user 502 experiencing world 700. However, dataencoded in a high resolution may also utilize a larger amount of data(i.e., as compared with data encoded in a low resolution), which maynecessitate more processing and network resources to process andtransfer the high resolution data between system 100 and the mediaplayer device.

As used herein, content files (e.g., uniform-resolution content files,mixed-resolution content files, etc.) may include any data structure,data resource, etc., that includes data representative of content of animmersive virtual reality world. As such, content files may take anyform that may serve a particular embodiment, whether or not conformingto certain norms shared by certain data structures traditionallyreferred to as data files. For example, content files may include adiscrete and finite set of data (i.e., data representative of thecontent of the immersive virtual reality world) and may be maintained(e.g., stored) on a storage drive of a server (e.g., within storagefacility 106 of system 100). In other examples, however, content filesmay include a continuous and/or potentially unbounded set of data (e.g.,from a continuous data stream) and may be managed by a server by passingthrough the server and/or being processed by the server, but notnecessarily by being maintained or stored on the server. For example,system 100 may manage a content file comprising a data streamcontinuously transmitted by a content creator system (e.g., contentcreator system 202 of FIG. 2), a 360-degree camera (e.g., camera 402 ofFIG. 4), or the like.

Certain content files may include data representative of content that isall encoded in a uniform resolution (e.g., a high resolution). Suchcontent files may be referred to as uniform-resolution content files. Incontrast, as will be illustrated and described in more detail below,other content files may include data that is encoded in a plurality ofdifferent resolutions. For example a portion of the data correspondingto one content sector may be encoded at a first resolution (e.g., a highresolution), while portions of the data corresponding to a remainder ofthe other content sectors may be encoded at one or more lowerresolutions. For example, content sectors adjacent to the content sectorencoded at the first resolution may be encoded in a second resolution(i.e., a resolution lower than the first resolution), while contentsectors that are not adjacent to the content sector encoded at the firstresolution may be encoded in a third resolution (i.e., a resolutionlower than the first and the second resolutions).

To illustrate, FIG. 8 illustrates exemplary overall data 800 for world700. Specifically, as shown, overall data 800 includes a singleuniform-resolution content file 802 comprising data representative ofthe entirety 702 of world 700 encoded in a uniform resolution (e.g., ahigh resolution). Overall data 800 may be stored and/or otherwisemaintained on system 100 (e.g., incorporated with interactive mediacontent data 108 within storage facility 106 as described above inrelation to FIG. 1). Alternatively, overall data 800 may includestreaming data being received by system 100 that may not necessarily bestored or otherwise maintained on system 100 but may nonetheless bemanaged by system 100 in that system 100 may process and/or stream(e.g., pass through) overall data 800 to one or more media playerdevices as overall data 800 is received.

For reasons that will explained in more detail below, uniform-resolutioncontent file 802 is shown to be relatively wide (i.e., such that itcannot fit within the width of the page unless presented on two separatelines). The relatively large width indicates that uniform-resolutioncontent file 802 may include a relatively large amount of data. Theamount of data in uniform-resolution content file 802 may be associatedwith certain advantages and disadvantages when compared toimplementations that use a plurality of smaller mixed-resolution contentfiles, as will be described in more detail below.

To illustrate how the content of world 700 may be represented withinoverall data 800, FIG. 9 illustrates a portion of the content of world700 as the content is represented within uniform-resolution content file802. Specifically, FIG. 9 shows content of world 700 included within aportion of the entirety 702 of world 700. As shown, FIG. 9 illustrates aportion of a 360-degree image depicting a city scene included withinworld 700 and being experienced by user 502 by way of field of view 704.Because world 700 is being rendered for user 502 based onuniform-resolution content file 802, all of the content included withinfield of view 704 may be rendered in high resolution regardless of whereuser 502 directs field of view 704 within world 700 and/or how quicklyor dramatically user 502 changes the direction in which field of view704 is directed.

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate exemplary views 1000-1 (see FIG. 10A) and1000-2 (see FIG. 10B) of an exemplary immersive virtual reality world1000 (“world 1000”) formed from partially overlapping content sectors1002 (e.g., content sectors 1002-1, 1002-2, 1002-3, and 1002-4) andbeing experienced by user 502. World 1000 may be equivalent to world 700in many or all respects except that, unlike world 700, world 1000 may berepresented in overall data within system 100 using the plurality ofcontent sectors 1002 (i.e., rather than the entirety 702) of the world.For example, like world 700, world 1000 is illustrated as a ring-shapedimmersive virtual reality world for ease of illustration andexplanation. Accordingly, as with world 700, while the simple ring shapeof world 1000 may facilitate illustrating and describing various aspectsof how system 100 may perform point-to-multipoint delivery ofindependently-controllable interactive media content (e.g., comprisingcontent sectors 1002) to a plurality of media player devices, it will beunderstood that the same principles described in relation to theembodiment of FIGS. 10A and 10B may apply to embodiments that includefully spherical immersive virtual reality worlds or other suitableimmersive virtual reality worlds taking the form of other suitablegeometric structures (i.e., cubes, pyramids, semi-spheres, etc.). Toillustrate, an example of a semi-spherical immersive virtual realityworld will be described and illustrated briefly below in relation toFIG. 14.

As shown in FIG. 10A, view 1000-1 of world 1000 is a top view of world1000 showing a top view of user 502 approximately at the center point ofworld 1000 as user 502 experiences world 1000. View 1000-1 illustratesall of content sectors 1002 around an entirety of the 360-degree ring ofworld 1000, as will be described in more detail below. View 1000-2 shownin FIG. 10B, in contrast, is a perspective view of world 1000 from aside of world 1000 (e.g., from an equivalent perspective as shown inFIG. 7 for world 700). While only a few of content sectors 1002 areexplicitly shown in view 1000-2, view 1000-2 better illustrates whatworld 1000 may look like to user 502 as user 502 experiences world 1000.For example, view 1000-2 illustrates a field of view 1004 controlled byuser 502 that may be used by user 502 to look anywhere within world1000, as described above.

It will be understood that the relative sizes for user 502, world 1000,and each of content sectors 1002, may not be to scale. The number ofcontent sectors 1002 included within world 1000, the size of eachcontent sector 1002 in relation to the entire world 1000 and in relationto user 502, and the amount of content of world 1000 that user 502 maysee within field of view 1004 at any particular time may each beconfigured and changed as may serve a particular implementation.

As best illustrated by view 1000-1 in FIG. 10A, world 1000 may be formedfrom four partially overlapping content sectors 1002 (i.e., contentsectors 1002-1, 1002-2, 1002-3, and 1002-4) that are labeled around theoutside of the ring of world 1000. Because content sectors 1002 arepartially overlapping with each other, each content sector includesthree portions, as labeled inside the ring of world 1000. First, eachcontent sector 1002 includes a portion of world 1000 that is covered bythat content sector 1002 alone. Specifically, a content sector portion1002-1-only represents a portion of world 1000 that is only covered bycontent sector 1002-1, a content sector portion 1002-2-only represents aportion of world 1000 that is only covered by content sector 1002-2, acontent sector portion 1002-3-only represents a portion of world 1000that is only covered by content sector 1002-3, and a content sectorportion 1002-4-only represents a portion of world 1000 that is onlycovered by content sector 1002-4. Additionally, each content sector 1002includes portions of world 1000 that are covered by that content sector1002 and are also covered by adjacent content sectors 1002 on eitherside of that content sector 1002 (i.e., due to the partially overlappingnature of content sectors 1002). Specifically, a content sector portion1002-1-2 represents a portion of world 1000 that is covered by theoverlap of content sectors 1002-1 and 1002-2, a content sector portion1002-2-3 represents a portion of world 1000 that is covered by theoverlap of content sectors 1002-2 and 1002-3, a content sector portion1002-3-4 represents a portion of world 1000 that is covered by theoverlap of content sectors 1002-3 and 1002-4, and a content sectorportion 1002-4-1 represents a portion of world 1000 that is covered bythe overlap of content sectors 1002-4 and 1002-1.

As best illustrated by view 1000-2 in FIG. 10B, user 502 may directfield of view 1004 to any portion of any content sector 1002 as user 502experiences world 1000. For example, as shown in FIG. 10B, user 502 maybe directing field of view 1004 to portion 1002-1-only of content sector1002-1 of world 1000. As will be illustrated and described below, system100 may provide overall data to the media player device used by user 502that includes a plurality of mixed-resolution content files. Eachmixed-resolution content file may correspond to one respective contentsector 1002. More specifically, each mixed-resolution content file maycomprise data representative of all of content sectors 1002 (i.e., allof world 1000), but the respective content sector 1002 to which themixed-resolution content file corresponds may be encoded in a highresolution, while a remainder of the content sectors may be encoded in alow resolution (e.g., lower than the high resolution). While system 100may provide overall data including mixed-resolution content filescorresponding to each content sector 1002, the media player device beingused by user 502 may render, at any given time, a portion of the overalldata that corresponds to the mixed-resolution content file correspondingto a content sector 1002 that field of view 1004 is presenting. Thus,for example, when field of view 1004 is presenting content from contentsector 1002 (e.g., from content sector portion 1002-1-only, as shown),the media player device may render a portion of the overall data thatcorresponds to a mixed-resolution content file corresponding to contentsector 1002-1. By so doing, the content within field of view 1004 may bepresented to user 502 in high resolution rather than in low resolution.

To illustrate, FIG. 11 shows exemplary overall data 1100 for world 1000,including content files 1102 (e.g., content files 1102-1, 1102-2,1102-3, and 1102-4) corresponding to each of content sectors 1002 shownin FIG. 10A (e.g., content sectors 1002-1, 1002-2, 1002-3, and 1002-4,respectively). Overall data 1100 may be stored and/or otherwisemaintained on system 100 (e.g., incorporated within interactive mediacontent data 108 within storage facility 106 as described above inrelation to FIG. 1). Alternatively, overall data 1100 may includestreaming data being received by system 100 that may not necessarily bestored or otherwise maintained on system 100 but may nonetheless bemanaged by system 100 in that system 100 may process and/or stream(e.g., pass through) data associated with overall data 1100 to the mediaplayer device as the data is received.

In FIG. 11, uniform-resolution content file 802 is shown outside ofoverall data 1100. Unlike in FIG. 8, the depiction of uniform-resolutioncontent file 802 in FIG. 11 shows how the data of uniform-resolutioncontent file 802 is divided between different parts (e.g., contentsectors 1002) of the immersive virtual reality world (e.g., world 700 orworld 1000). As mentioned above in relation to FIG. 8,uniform-resolution content file 802 may be used in certainimplementations, while mixed-resolution content files 1102 may be usedin others. In certain examples, uniform-resolution content file 802 andmixed-resolution content files 1102 may both be used as may serve aparticular embodiment.

The relative widths of uniform-resolution content file 802 andmixed-resolution content files 1102 may be indicative of the relativeamount of data stored in each, and may help illustrate certainadvantages and disadvantages of implementations that use largeuniform-resolution content files (e.g., such as the implementationdescribed in relation to world 700, using uniform-resolution contentfile 802) and implementations using a plurality of smallermixed-resolution content files (e.g., such as the implementationdescribed in relation to world 1000, using mixed-resolution contentfiles 1102).

Specifically, for example, transmitting one large uniform-resolutioncontent file (e.g., uniform-resolution content file 802) may be lessburdensome for system 100 than transmitting the plurality of smallermixed-resolution content files (e.g., mixed-resolution content files1102). Additionally, with uniform-resolution content file 802, anyportion of the entirety 702 of world 700 may be rendered within field ofview 704 in high resolution at any time, which may be advantageous ifuser 502 dramatically alters a position of field of view 704 in a veryshort period of time (i.e., by quickly turning around).

However, the plurality of smaller mixed-resolution content files 1102may provide advantages for media player devices and users. For example,while system 100 may transmit more data when using the plurality ofmixed-resolution content files 1102, media player devices may use (e.g.,request, accept, receive, process, and/or “tune” to) significantly lessdata when the plurality of mixed-resolution content files 1102 are used.Specifically, the media player devices may use only one mixed-resolutioncontent file 1102 at a time (i.e., based on where field of view 1004 isdirected within world 1000), which may generate significant advantagesfor the media player devices and certain components of the network.

For example, FIG. 12 illustrates exemplary channels 1200 (e.g., 1200-1through 1200-n) included within point-to-multipoint media deliveryprotocol 210 (described above in relation to FIG. 2). Within certainpoint-to-multipoint media delivery protocols, data may be transmitted(e.g., broadcast, multicast, etc.) over a network (e.g., network 204) todevices on a plurality of broadcast or multicast channels. Just as atelevision or radio device may have a plurality of channels (e.g.,frequencies) available simultaneously but may be configured to tune tojust one at a time, media player devices may have all of channels 1200available at a particular time, but may only use (e.g., request, access,receive, process, and/or “tune” to) one channel 1200 at a time. As aresult, by only using one smaller mixed-resolution content file 1102 ata time, a media player device may stream significantly less network datathan if the media player device streamed a larger uniform-resolutioncontent file 802. Thus, the media player device and/or certain portionsof network 204 may process less network data, and a user of the mediaplayer device may be charged for less network data (e.g., if the user ison a network data usage plan with a finite amount of data usage permonth).

Returning to FIG. 11, the highlighting of particular content sectors andthe relative widths of particular content sector portions illustrate thedifferent resolutions that each content sector 1002 (or content sectorportion) may be encoded with within mixed-resolution content files 1102.Specifically, mixed-resolution content file 1102-1 may includehigh-resolution data for content sector 1002-1 (i.e., content sectorportions 1-only, 1-2, and 4-1) while including lower-resolution (e.g.,“standard-definition” (“SD”)) data for the other content sectors 1002(e.g., for the portions of content sectors 1002-2, 1002-3, and 1002-4that do not overlap with content sector 1002-1 such as content sectorportions 2-only, 2-3, 3-only, 3-4, and 4-only). Similarly,mixed-resolution content file 1102-2 may include high-resolution datafor content sector 1002-2 (i.e., content sector portions 1-2, 2-only,and 2-3) while including lower-resolution data for the other contentsectors 1002 (i.e., content sector portions 1-only, 3-only, 3-4, 4-only,and 4-1), mixed-resolution content file 1102-3 may includehigh-resolution data for content sector 1002-3 (i.e., content sectorportions 2-3, 3-only, and 3-4) while including lower-resolution data forthe other content sectors 1002 (i.e., content sector portions 1-only,1-2, 2-only, 4-only, and 4-1), and mixed-resolution content file 1102-4may include high-resolution data for content sector 1002-4 (i.e.,content sector portions 3-4, 4-only, and 4-1) while includinglower-resolution data for the other content sectors 1002 (i.e., contentsector portions 1-only, 1-2, 2-only, 2-3, and 3-only).

As illustrated, the content sector portions including data encoded inthe low resolution are illustrated in mixed-resolution content files1102 as being significantly narrower than the content sector portionsincluding data encoded in the high resolution, indicating that thelow-resolution content sector portions include less data (i.e., lessdata for the media player devices to request, receive, stream, process,etc.). As a result, mixed-resolution content files 1102 are eachsignificantly narrower than uniform-resolution content file 802(uniform-resolution content file 802 is wide enough that it wraps to asecond row as illustrated in FIG. 11), in which data representative ofevery content sector portion is encoded in the high resolution. Thus,the relative widths of uniform-resolution content file 802 andmixed-resolution content files 1102 reflect how much less data mediaplayer devices may use to render an image for the user that is usually,but not necessarily always, high resolution (e.g., potentiallypresenting a low resolution image temporarily when the user shifts thefield of view to a new content sector 1002). Similarly, the relativewidths illustrate how much more data the media player devices may use torender an image for the user that is always guaranteed to be highresolution. It will be understood that the relative widths of eachcontent sector portion in uniform-resolution content file 802 andmixed-resolution content files 1102 are drawn for illustrative purposesonly and are not to scale. In other words, the relative widths shown inFIG. 11 may be larger or smaller than actual relative data amounts invarious implementations of uniform-resolution content file 802 andmixed-resolution content file 1102.

To illustrate how the content of world 1000 may be represented withinmixed-resolution content files 1102, FIG. 13 illustrates a portion ofthe content of world 1000 as the content may be represented withinmixed-resolution content file 1102-1 within overall data 1100.Specifically, FIG. 13 shows the portion of the content of world 1000included within content sector 1002-1, along with portions of thecontent of world 1000 adjacent to content sector 1002-1 (i.e., contentincluded within content sector portion 1002-4-only of content sector1002-4 and content sector portion 1002-2-only of content sector 1002-2,see FIG. 10A). FIG. 13 illustrates a portion of a 360-degree imagedepicting a city scene included within world 1000 and being experiencedby user 502 by way of field of view 1004. As shown, the 360-degree imageof world 1000 depicted in FIG. 13 is similar to the 360-degree image ofworld 700 depicted in FIG. 9. However, because the media player deviceis presenting world 1000 for user 502 based on mixed-resolution contentfile 1102-1 rather than uniform-resolution content file 802, the360-degree image is not entirely represented in high resolution.

Specifically, in contrast to the 360-degree image of FIG. 9, portions ofthe 360-degree image that are illustrated as being outside of contentsector 1002-2 (i.e., content sector portions 1002-4-only and1002-2-only) are represented in low resolution (i.e., by being depictedas somewhat blurry in FIG. 13). Thus, as shown, all of the contentincluded within field of view 1004 may be shown in high resolution.Similarly, as user 502 directs field of view 1004 to other contentincluded within content sector 1002-1, the media player device may beable to render the content in high resolution based on data includedwithin mixed-resolution content file 1102-1, as shown. However, if user502 directs field of view 1004 to additional content that is included inanother content sector (e.g., content sector 1002-2) but not included incontent sector 1002-1 (e.g., content within content sector portion1002-2-only), the media player device will not be able to render thecontent in high resolution based on data included withinmixed-resolution content file 1102-1. Specifically, as shown,mixed-resolution content file 1102-1 includes low resolution data forcontent outside of content sector 1002-1, as depicted by the lowerquality (i.e., blurred) content displayed in content sector portions1002-2-only and 1002-4-only.

As a result, while mixed-resolution content file 1102-1 may providehigh-resolution data as user 502 begins directing field of view 1004into a new content sector such as content sector 1002-2 (i.e., withincontent sector portion 1002-1-2 of content sector 1002-2), when user 502directs field of view 1004 deeper into content sector 1002-2 (i.e., toinclude content within content sector portion 1002-2-only), the mediaplayer device may need to render a different part of overall data 1100in order to present the content within content sector portion1002-2-only in high resolution. Specifically, the media player devicemay need to render a portion of mixed-resolution content file 1102-2rather than mixed-resolution content file 1102-1 (e.g., by “tuning” froma channel 1200 that includes mixed-resolution content file 1102-1 to achannel 1200 that includes mixed-resolution content file 1102-2).

In some examples, there may be a short latency associated with accessinga new mixed-resolution content file 1102 from overall data 1100 (e.g.,to request, receive, refill buffers, etc., with data from a new channel1200). As such, the media player device may temporarily render thecontent of content sector portion 1002-2-only using low resolution dataincluded within mixed-resolution content file 1102-1 until the highresolution data for content sector portion 1002-2-only has been receivedand/or buffered. In the same or other examples, the media player devicemay be configured to predict and/or preload data from othermixed-resolution content files 1102 such that high-resolution data maybe ready and low-resolution data may be presented as infrequently aspossible.

Additionally, in certain implementations, it may be predicted (e.g., bysystem 100 while generating world 1000 from data received by contentcreator system 202, by an operator of content creator system 202 and/orcamera 402, etc.) that users are likely to direct field of view 1004 ina certain direction at a particular time. For example, an object thatthe user is likely to watch may cross world 1000, or another event maycause the user to turn to look in a different direction. If contentsectors 1002 are static relative to world 1000, directing field of view1004 across a relatively wide arc of world 1000 may include moving fieldof view 1004 from one content sector 1002 (e.g., content sector 1002-1)to another (e.g., content sector 1002-2). However, in certainimplementations, one or more of content sectors 1002 may be dynamicrather than static. For example, one or more content sectors 1002 maypersistently include (i.e., may follow or move along with) an image of adynamic portion of world 1000 that is configured to move within world1000 based on an event occurring within world 1000 (i.e., an image of anobject that is moving across world 1000). As such, in theseimplementations, user 502 may direct field of view 1004 across arelatively wide arc of world 1000 but field of view 1004 may remainwithin the same content sector 1002 because the content sector 1002 mayalso move across world 1000 along approximately the same wide arc.

While worlds 700 and 1000 have been illustrated and described as beingring-shaped, and world 1000 has been illustrated and described as beingformed from rectangular-shaped content sectors 1002, it will beunderstood that worlds 700 and 1000, as well as content sectors 1002,may be any shape that may serve a particular implementation. Moreover,content sectors 1002 may partially intersect to form world 1000 in anysuitable way. For example, world 700 may be represented as a sphericalstructure within data representative of world 700 that is managed bysystem 100 (i.e., within uniform-resolution content file 802 of overalldata 800). Similarly, world 1000 may be represented as a sphericalstructure within data representative of world 1000 that is managed bysystem 100 (i.e., within mixed-resolution content files 1102 of overalldata 1100), and each content sector 1002 that together forms world 1000may be a circular image of a portion of world 1000.

To illustrate, FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary arrangement of aplurality of partially overlapping content sectors that together form anexemplary immersive virtual reality world 1400 (“world 1400”). Incontrast to the ring-shaped worlds 700 and 1000 of FIGS. 6A, 6B, 10A,and 10B, world 1400 is illustrated as being semi-spherical (i.e. a360-degree by 90-degree semi-sphere). As such, world 1400 includes amore complex arrangement of partially overlapping content sectors thanworld 1000. While a semi-spherical world 1400 is shown for clarity ofillustration and description, it will be understood that world 1400 mayinclude a fully-spherical world around a single center pointcorresponding to the user (i.e., a 360-degree by 180-degree spherearound the user) using the same principles illustrated in FIG. 14.

As shown, world 1400 is formed from an arrangement of a plurality ofpartially overlapping content sectors 1402 (e.g., content sectors 1402-1through 1402-6). Content sectors 1402 may be circular (e.g., fullycircular, semi-circular, etc.), and may partially overlap one another ina more complex arrangement than content sectors 1002 of FIGS. 10A and10B. For example, content sector 1402-1 includes content sector portionsthat overlap with content sector 1402-2, content sector 1402-3, andcontent sector 1402-4. Additionally, certain content sector portions ofcontent sector 1402-1 overlap with multiple other content sectors suchas with both content sectors 1402-2 and 1402-3 or with both contentsectors 1402-2 and 1402-4. As such, the media player device presentingworld 1400 may include more complex logic to determine whatmixed-resolution content file should be used (e.g., what channel 1200should be “tuned” to). Content sectors 1402 may be configured so thatcontent being rendered within field of view 1404 is always includedwithin at least one content sector 1402 such that the media playerdevice may always select a mixed-resolution content file correspondingto a content sector 1402 that includes the content being rendered withinfield of view 1404.

As described above, media player devices may render different portionsof overall data (e.g., overall data 800 including uniform-resolutioncontent file 802, overall data 1100 including mixed-resolution contentfile 1102, etc.) based on different user input from respective usersexperiencing an immersive virtual reality world (e.g., world 700, world1000, etc.) using the media player devices. For example, as describedand illustrated above, a first portion of overall data (e.g., overalldata 1100) rendered within a first field of view (e.g., field of view1004) presented on a first media player device at a particular point intime may include data from a first mixed-resolution content file (e.g.,mixed-resolution content file 1102-1) corresponding to a first contentsector (e.g., content sector 1002-1). At the same point in time, asecond portion of the overall data rendered within a second field ofview presented on a second media player device may include data from asecond mixed-resolution content file (e.g., mixed-resolution contentfile 1102-2) corresponding to a second content sector (e.g., contentsector 1002-2). In other words, two users may perceive that they areeach standing at a single center point (e.g., a common center point) butmay be looking in different directions within the immersive virtualreality world. Moreover, both users may be presented with highresolution images of the portion of the immersive virtual reality worldthey are experiencing, because the media player device associated witheach user may render data from a different mixed-resolution contentfile.

In a similar way that system 100 provides overall data that includes aplurality of mixed-resolution content files that each correspond to aparticular content sector encoded in a high resolution, system 100 mayprovide overall data that includes a plurality of uniform-resolutioncontent files that are each associated with different center pointswithin the immersive virtual reality world. For example, eachuniform-resolution content file may comprise data representative of aview of the immersive virtual reality world corresponding to therespective center point of each uniform-resolution content file. Assuch, at a particular point in time, a first portion of the overall datamay be rendered within a first field of view that includes data from afirst uniform-resolution content file associated with a first centerpoint within the immersive virtual reality world. At the same point intime, a second portion of the overall data may be rendered within asecond field of view that includes data from a second uniform-resolutioncontent file associated with a second center point within the immersivevirtual reality world. In other words, two users may perceive that theyare each standing at different center points within the same immersivevirtual reality world, and each user may look in any direction withinthe immersive virtual reality world. Moreover, both users may bepresented with high resolution images of the portion of the immersivevirtual reality world they are experiencing, because the media playerdevice associated with each user may render data from uniform-resolutioncontent files.

To illustrate, FIG. 15 shows a plurality of exemplary 360-degree camerasarranged to capture real-world scenery 1500 from which an immersivevirtual reality world may be generated. Specifically, 360-degree cameras1502 (e.g., cameras 1502-1 through 1502-n) may be arranged to capturereal-world scenery 1500 from a plurality of locations within the realworld. In some examples, the plurality of locations within the realworld may be in relatively close proximity to one another. For example,the plurality of locations may include different locations within asingle room or a single building. The plurality of locations may includevarious locations in field, court, track, etc., where a sporting eventmay be taking place (e.g., different locations on a football field orbasketball court, different locations around a racetrack, etc.).Respective 360-degree images captured by each camera 1502 may then beused (e.g., by system 100, content creator 202, etc.) to generate a viewof an immersive virtual reality world from a perspective of a centerpoint that corresponds to the respective location of each camera 1502.As a result, users experiencing the immersive virtual reality world maymove from center point to center point within the immersive virtualreality world to experience the immersive virtual reality world fromdifferent center points corresponding to the locations in the real worldwhere cameras 1502 were placed.

In some examples, uniform-resolution content files representative ofdifferent center points of the immersive virtual reality world may eachbe provided by system 100 by way of a point-to-multipoint media deliveryprotocol on separate channels (e.g., such as channels 1200, describedabove in relation to FIG. 12). As such, a user experiencing virtualreality media content that includes a car race may provide user input toa media player device he or she is using to move from a first centerpoint (e.g., located at a particular turn on a racetrack in theimmersive virtual reality world) to a second center point (e.g., locatedat a finish line of the racetrack in the immersive virtual realityworld). As a result, the media player device may automatically switchfrom “tuning” to a first channel that includes a uniform-resolutionmedia content file representative of the immersive virtual reality worldfrom the perspective of the location at the particular turn of theracetrack, to a second channel that includes a uniform-resolution mediacontent file representative of the immersive virtual reality world fromthe perspective of the location at the finish line.

FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary method 1600 for point-to-multipointdelivery of independently-controllable interactive media content. WhileFIG. 16 illustrates exemplary operations according to one embodiment,other embodiments may omit, add to, reorder, and/or modify any of theoperations shown in FIG. 16. One or more of the operations shown in FIG.16 may be performed by system 100 and/or any implementation thereof.

In operation 1602, an interactive media content provider system maygenerate overall data representative of an immersive virtual realityworld. Operation 1602 may be performed in any of the ways describedherein.

In operation 1604, the interactive media content provider system mayconcurrently provide the overall data to both a first media playerdevice associated with a first user and a second media player deviceassociated with a second user. For example, the interactive mediacontent provider system may concurrently provide the overall data toboth media player devices by way of a point-to-multipoint media deliveryprotocol. In certain examples, the first media player device may beconfigured to render a first portion of the overall data within a firstfield of view presented on a display screen of the first media playerdevice. The first field of view may include content of a first observedarea of the immersive virtual reality world to which the first user maydirect the first field of view. Similarly, the second media playerdevice may be configured to render a second portion of the overall datawithin a second field of view presented on a display screen of thesecond media player device. The second field of view may include contentof a second observed area of the immersive virtual reality world towhich the second user may direct the second field of view.

Operation 1604 may be performed in any of the ways described herein. Forexample, in certain implementations, the first portion of the overalldata may dynamically change to continually correspond to the firstobserved area as the first user experiences the immersive virtualreality world, and the second portion of the overall data maydynamically change to continually correspond to the second observed areaas the second user experiences the immersive virtual reality world. Assuch, the first field of view and the second field of view may beindependently directed by the first user and the second user,respectively, such that the first portion of the overall data renderedwithin the first field of view is different from the second portion ofthe overall data rendered within the second field of view at aparticular point in time.

FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary method 1700 for point-to-multipointdelivery of independently-controllable interactive media content. WhileFIG. 17 illustrates exemplary operations according to one embodiment,other embodiments may omit, add to, reorder, and/or modify any of theoperations shown in FIG. 17. One or more of the operations shown in FIG.17 may be performed by system 100 and/or any implementation thereof.

In operation 1702, an interactive media content provider system maygenerate overall data representative of an immersive virtual realityworld. For example, the overall data may include a plurality ofmixed-resolution content files that each correspond to one respectivecontent sector of a plurality of partially overlapping content sectorsthat together form a view of the immersive virtual reality world (e.g.,a view corresponding to a single center point). Each of themixed-resolution content files may comprise data representative of theplurality of partially overlapping content sectors in which the onerespective content sector (i.e., the content sector to which theparticular mixed-resolution content file corresponds) is encoded in ahigh resolution and in which a remainder of the content sectors areencoded in a low resolution (e.g., a resolution lower than the highresolution). Operation 1702 may be performed in any of the waysdescribed herein.

In operation 1704, the interactive media content provider system mayconcurrently provide the overall data to both a first media playerdevice associated with a first user and a second media player deviceassociated with a second user. For example, the interactive mediacontent provider system may concurrently provide the overall data to themedia player devices by way of a point-to-multipoint media deliveryprotocol. In certain examples, the first media player device may beconfigured to render a first portion of the overall data within a firstfield of view presented on a display screen of the first media playerdevice. The first field of view may include content of a first observedarea of the immersive virtual reality world to which the first user maydirect the first field of view. Similarly, the second media playerdevice may be configured to render a second portion of the overall datawithin a second field of view presented on a display screen of thesecond media player device. The second field of view may include contentof a second observed area of the immersive virtual reality world towhich the second user may direct the second field of view.

Operation 1704 may be performed in any of the ways described herein. Forexample, in certain implementations, the first portion of the overalldata may dynamically change to continually correspond to the firstobserved area as the first user experiences the immersive virtualreality world, and the second portion of the overall data maydynamically change to continually correspond to the second observed areaas the second user experiences the immersive virtual reality world. Assuch, the first field of view and the second field of view may beindependently directed by the first user and the second user,respectively, such that the first portion of the overall data renderedwithin the first field of view includes data from a firstmixed-resolution content file corresponding to a first content sector ofthe plurality of partially overlapping content sectors and the secondportion of the overall data rendered within the second field of viewincludes data from a second mixed-resolution content file correspondingto a second content sector of the plurality of partially overlappingcontent sectors at a particular point in time.

In certain embodiments, one or more of the systems, components, and/orprocesses described herein may be implemented and/or performed by one ormore appropriately configured computing devices. To this end, one ormore of the systems and/or components described above may include or beimplemented by any computer hardware and/or computer-implementedinstructions (e.g., software) embodied on at least one non-transitorycomputer-readable medium configured to perform one or more of theprocesses described herein. In particular, system components may beimplemented on one physical computing device or may be implemented onmore than one physical computing device. Accordingly, system componentsmay include any number of computing devices, and may employ any of anumber of computer operating systems.

In certain embodiments, one or more of the processes described hereinmay be implemented at least in part as instructions embodied in anon-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by one or morecomputing devices. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor)receives instructions, from a non-transitory computer-readable medium,(e.g., a memory, etc.), and executes those instructions, therebyperforming one or more processes, including one or more of the processesdescribed herein. Such instructions may be stored and/or transmittedusing any of a variety of known computer-readable media.

A computer-readable medium (also referred to as a processor-readablemedium) includes any non-transitory medium that participates inproviding data (e.g., instructions) that may be read by a computer(e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such a medium may take many forms,including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, and/or volatilemedia. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical or magneticdisks and other persistent memory. Volatile media may include, forexample, dynamic random access memory (“DRAM”), which typicallyconstitutes a main memory. Common forms of computer-readable mediainclude, for example, a disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any othermagnetic medium, a compact disc read-only memory (“CD-ROM”), a digitalvideo disc (“DVD”), any other optical medium, random access memory(“RAM”), programmable read-only memory (“PROM”), electrically erasableprogrammable read-only memory (“EPROM”), FLASH-EEPROM, any other memorychip or cartridge, or any other tangible medium from which a computercan read.

FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary computing device 1800 that may bespecifically configured to perform one or more of the processesdescribed herein. As shown in FIG. 18, computing device 1800 may includea communication interface 1802, a processor 1804, a storage device 1806,and an input/output (“I/O”) module 1808 communicatively connected via acommunication infrastructure 1810. While an exemplary computing device1800 is shown in FIG. 18, the components illustrated in FIG. 18 are notintended to be limiting. Additional or alternative components may beused in other embodiments. Components of computing device 1800 shown inFIG. 18 will now be described in additional detail.

Communication interface 1802 may be configured to communicate with oneor more computing devices. Examples of communication interface 1802include, without limitation, a wired network interface (such as anetwork interface card), a wireless network interface (such as awireless network interface card), a modem, an audio/video connection,and any other suitable interface.

Processor 1804 generally represents any type or form of processing unitcapable of processing data or interpreting, executing, and/or directingexecution of one or more of the instructions, processes, and/oroperations described herein. Processor 1804 may direct execution ofoperations in accordance with one or more applications 1812 or othercomputer-executable instructions such as may be stored in storage device1806 or another computer-readable medium.

Storage device 1806 may include one or more data storage media, devices,or configurations and may employ any type, form, and combination of datastorage media and/or device. For example, storage device 1806 mayinclude, but is not limited to, a hard drive, network drive, flashdrive, magnetic disc, optical disc, RAM, dynamic RAM, other non-volatileand/or volatile data storage units, or a combination or sub-combinationthereof. Electronic data, including data described herein, may betemporarily and/or permanently stored in storage device 1806. Forexample, data representative of one or more executable applications 1812configured to direct processor 1804 to perform any of the operationsdescribed herein may be stored within storage device 1806. In someexamples, data may be arranged in one or more databases residing withinstorage device 1806.

I/O module 1808 may include one or more I/O modules configured toreceive user input and provide user output. One or more I/O modules maybe used to receive input for a single virtual reality experience. I/Omodule 2008 may include any hardware, firmware, software, or combinationthereof supportive of input and output capabilities. For example, I/Omodule 1808 may include hardware and/or software for capturing userinput, including, but not limited to, a keyboard or keypad, atouchscreen component (e.g., touchscreen display), a receiver (e.g., anRF or infrared receiver), motion sensors and/or one or more inputbuttons.

I/O module 1808 may include one or more devices for presenting output toa user, including, but not limited to, a graphics engine, a display(e.g., a display screen), one or more output drivers (e.g., displaydrivers), one or more audio speakers, and one or more audio drivers. Incertain embodiments, I/O module 1808 is configured to provide graphicaldata to a display for presentation to a user. The graphical data may berepresentative of one or more graphical user interfaces and/or any othergraphical content as may serve a particular implementation.

In some examples, any of the facilities described herein may beimplemented by or within one or more components of computing device1800. For example, one or more applications 1812 residing within storagedevice 1806 may be configured to direct processor 1804 to perform one ormore processes or functions associated with any of facilities 102-104 ofsystem 100 (see FIG. 1). Likewise, storage facility 106 of system 100may be implemented by or within storage device 1806.

To the extent the aforementioned embodiments collect, store, and/oremploy personal information provided by individuals, it should beunderstood that such information shall be used in accordance with allapplicable laws concerning protection of personal information.Additionally, the collection, storage, and use of such information maybe subject to consent of the individual to such activity, for example,through well known “opt-in” or “opt-out” processes as may be appropriatefor the situation and type of information. Storage and use of personalinformation may be in an appropriately secure manner reflective of thetype of information, for example, through various encryption andanonymization techniques for particularly sensitive information.

In the preceding description, various exemplary embodiments have beendescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however,be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto,and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing fromthe scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. Forexample, certain features of one embodiment described herein may becombined with or substituted for features of another embodimentdescribed herein. The description and drawings are accordingly to beregarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: at least one physicalcomputing device that: generates a plurality of different content filesthat each include data representative of content of a virtual realityworld, the plurality of different content files comprising at least oneof a plurality of uniform-resolution content files that each are encodedin a uniform resolution, that each are associated with a differentrespective center point within the virtual reality world, and that eachcomprise data representative of a different view of the virtual realityworld corresponding to the respective center point of eachuniform-resolution content file, and a plurality of mixed-resolutioncontent files that each correspond to one respective content sector of aplurality of partially overlapping content sectors that together form aview of the virtual reality world associated with a single center point,and that each comprise data representative of the plurality of partiallyoverlapping content sectors in which the one respective content sectoris encoded in a high resolution and in which a remainder of the contentsectors are encoded in a low resolution lower than the high resolution;and provides the plurality of different content files to a media playerdevice by way of a network.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein: the atleast one physical computing device provides the plurality of differentcontent files concurrently to the media player device and an additionalmedia player device; the media player device is associated with a firstuser and is configured to render, within a first field of view presentedon a display screen of the media player device, a portion of a firstcontent file included in the plurality of different content files, theportion of the first content file representative of content of a firstobserved area of the virtual reality world to which the first userdirects the first field of view; and the additional media player deviceis associated with a second user and is configured to render, within asecond field of view presented on a display screen of the additionalmedia player device, a portion of a second content file included in theplurality of different content files, the portion of the second contentfile representative of content of a second observed area of the virtualreality world to which the second user directs the second field of view.3. The system of claim 2, wherein: the portion of the first content filedynamically changes to continually represent content of the firstobserved area as the first user experiences the virtual reality world;the portion of the second content file dynamically changes tocontinually represent content of the second observed area as the seconduser experiences the virtual reality world; and the first and secondfields of view are independently directed by the first and second users,respectively, such that the portion of the first content file renderedwithin the first field of view is different from the portion of thesecond content file rendered within the second field of view.
 4. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of different content filescomprises the plurality of mixed-resolution content files; and the onerespective content sector to which each content file in the plurality ofdifferent content files corresponds is a different respective contentsector for each content file.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein: theplurality of different content files comprises the plurality ofmixed-resolution content files; the view of the virtual reality world isrepresented, within the plurality of mixed-resolution content files, asa spherical structure around the single center point; and the pluralityof partially overlapping content sectors includes a first content sectorand a second content sector that are partially overlapping with oneanother and that are each partially overlapping with at least twoadditional content sectors included within the plurality of partiallyoverlapping content sectors.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein: theplurality of different content files comprises the plurality ofuniform-resolution content files; and the at least one physicalcomputing device provides each uniform-resolution content file in theplurality of uniform-resolution content files over the network on aseparate multicast channel.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein: theplurality of different content files comprises the plurality ofmixed-resolution content files; and the at least one physical computingdevice provides each mixed-resolution content file in the plurality ofmixed-resolution content files over the network on a separate multicastchannel.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein: the content files in theplurality of different content files are implemented as continuous datastreams; and the at least one physical computing device provides theplurality of different content files by processing and continuouslytransmitting the continuous data streams.
 9. The system of claim 1,wherein: the at least one physical computing device further provides theplurality of different content files to an additional media playerdevice concurrently with the providing of the plurality of differentcontent files to the media player device; and the concurrent providingof the plurality of different content files to the media player deviceand to the additional media player device is performed by way of thenetwork using a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Servicepoint-to-multipoint media delivery protocol performed using a Long-TermEvolution wireless platform.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein: the atleast one physical computing device further receives data representativeof camera-captured real-world scenery, the data representative of thecamera-captured real-world scenery captured by a video camera arrangedto capture a 360-degree image of the real-world scenery around a centerpoint corresponding to the video camera; and the at least one physicalcomputing device generates the plurality of different content filesbased on the received data representative of the camera-capturedreal-world scenery.
 11. A media player device comprising: a displayscreen; and at least one physical computing device that: detects userinput provided by a user associated with the media player device,accesses, based on the detected user input, one or more content filesfrom a plurality of different content files provided to the media playerdevice by an interactive media content provider system and by way of anetwork, the plurality of different content files each including datarepresentative of content of a virtual reality world and the pluralityof different content files comprising at least one of a plurality ofuniform-resolution content files that each are encoded in a uniformresolution, that each are associated with a different respective centerpoint within the virtual reality world, and that each comprise datarepresentative of a different view of the virtual reality worldcorresponding to the respective center point of each uniform-resolutioncontent file, and a plurality of mixed-resolution content files thateach correspond to one respective content sector of a plurality ofpartially overlapping content sectors that together form a view of thevirtual reality world associated with a single center point, and thateach comprise data representative of the plurality of partiallyoverlapping content sectors in which the one respective content sectoris encoded in a high resolution and in which a remainder of the contentsectors are encoded in a low resolution lower than the high resolution,and presents, to the user by way of the display screen and based on theone or more content files, the content of the virtual reality world. 12.The media player device of claim 11, wherein: the plurality of differentcontent files comprises the plurality of mixed-resolution content files;and the one respective content sector to which each content file in theplurality of different content files corresponds is a differentrespective content sector for each content file.
 13. The media playerdevice of claim 11, wherein: the plurality of different content filescomprises the plurality of mixed-resolution content files; the view ofthe virtual reality world is represented, within the plurality ofmixed-resolution content files, as a spherical structure around thesingle center point; and the plurality of partially overlapping contentsectors includes a first content sector and a second content sector thatare partially overlapping with one another and that are each partiallyoverlapping with at least two additional content sectors included withinthe plurality of partially overlapping content sectors.
 14. The mediaplayer device of claim 11, wherein: the content files in the pluralityof different content files are implemented as continuous data streams;and the at least one physical computing device accesses the plurality ofdifferent content files by continuously receiving the continuous datastreams as the interactive media content provider system processes andcontinuously transmits the continuous data streams.
 15. The media playerdevice of claim 11, wherein the at least one physical computing deviceaccesses the one or more content files from the plurality of differentcontent files by way of the network using a Multimedia BroadcastMulticast Service point-to-multipoint media delivery protocol performedusing a Long-Term Evolution wireless platform, the Multimedia BroadcastMulticast Service point-to-multipoint media delivery protocol configuredto allow the interactive media content provider system to provide theplurality of different content files to the media player deviceconcurrently with providing the plurality of different content files toan additional media player device.
 16. The media player device of claim11, further comprising: a head-mounted virtual reality device withinwhich the display screen is disposed; motion sensors disposed within thehead-mounted virtual reality device; directional sensors disposed withinthe head-mounted virtual reality device; and orientation sensorsdisposed within the head-mounted virtual reality device.
 17. The mediaplayer device of claim 11, wherein the at least one physical computingdevice accesses the one or more content files from the plurality ofdifferent content files by accessing a plurality of content files fromthe plurality of different content files one content file at a time. 18.A method comprising: generating, by an interactive media contentprovider system, a plurality of different content files that eachinclude data representative of content of a virtual reality world, theplurality of different content files comprising at least one of aplurality of uniform-resolution content files that each are encoded in auniform resolution, that each are associated with a different respectivecenter point within the virtual reality world, and that each comprisedata representative of a different view of the virtual reality worldcorresponding to the respective center point of each uniform-resolutioncontent file, and a plurality of mixed-resolution content files thateach correspond to one respective content sector of a plurality ofpartially overlapping content sectors that together form a view of thevirtual reality world associated with a single center point, and thateach comprise data representative of the plurality of partiallyoverlapping content sectors in which the one respective content sectoris encoded in a high resolution and in which a remainder of the contentsectors are encoded in a low resolution lower than the high resolution;and providing, by the interactive media content provider system, theplurality of different content files to a media player device by way ofa network.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein: the providing of theplurality of different content files is performed by concurrentlyproviding the plurality of different content files to the media playerdevice and an additional media player device; the media player device isassociated with a first user and is configured to render, within a firstfield of view presented on a display screen of the first media playerdevice, a portion of a first content file included in the plurality ofdifferent content files, the portion of the first content filerepresentative of content of a first observed area of the virtualreality world to which the first user directs the first field of view;and the additional media player device is associated with a second userand is configured to render, within a second field of view presented ona display screen of the additional media player device, a portion of asecond content file included in the plurality of different contentfiles, the portion of the second content file representative of contentof a second observed area of the virtual reality world to which thesecond user directs the second field of view.
 20. The method of claim18, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least onenon-transitory computer-readable medium.